Bottled Souls
by cherrybombbecky
Summary: Thousands of souls are disappearing from the living world. A huge in-balance of souls would cause soul society and the living world to collide destroying all life. What is Hitsugaya's secret? Can he save both worlds from destruction? *pairings later. Rated M for later bloodshed and pairing. Pairing: renjiXichigo T.hitsugayaXmidori
1. Chapter 1

**Bottled Souls.**

It was a weird day. The sky was blue; the clouds were perfect fluffy balls of cotton floating across the vast space across Seretei. Despite of this something just didn't feel right.

Hitsugaya Toushiro awoke with a start. He felt a shiver prickle down his slender arms leaving a trail of gooseflesh. Weird. It was a warm July morning, and the young-looking captain was very accustomed to cold. Toushiro shrugged off the uneasy feeling as the remnants of a bad dream and pulled himself reluctantly out of his futon. Today was a Monday which meant he had to deal with a hungover Matsumoto; who can only be described as having a temper like a bear with a sore backside every Monday morning.

When he reached the squads office he was greeted by a surprisingly cheery "Ohayō taichooooouuuu!"

He looked up at the desk (his desk) to find an apparently sober, un-hungover looking vice-captain. To shock the captain more the she had already started the mountain of paper work that had begun piling up on her desk, assigning squad members to various missions. Hitsugaya taichō's knees almost bucked from the shock.

_Weird. Something is definitely weird_. Toushiro thought. He walked over to the open window and looked over Seretei. No matter how peaceful it seemed he couldn't seem to shake the uneasiness gathering at the pit of his stomach. _What was causing this? Was it just the dream? _He was so lost in thought he never heard his busty fukutaichō sneaking up behind him. She through her arms around him covering his eyes with her slender fingers. Her huge breasts enveloped his little white head, squashing his cheeks together. If only he wasn't perfect chest hight.

"MATSUMOTO!" His familiar morning yell appeared, but he couldn't stop himself from smirking. It was indeed the normal Matsumoto and not some imposter. But it was a Monday morning so why didn't she smell of sake? And why was she already at work? Then everything clicked into place in the young captains head. He couldn't believe it had taken him so long to figure it out. _She wants the afternoon off._

"What is it Matsumoto?"

"Well, I've been feeling a bit weird, can I get the afternoon off?"

"NO."

Kuchiki Rukia felt odd. It was almost as if she felt afraid. However she felt no odd reishi or even anything worth noting. She noticed a hell butterfly fluttering its way towards her. She let it land on her finger. The fourth squads voice could be heard from the butterfly. Unohana taichō's voice rang with urgency.

"All squad captains and vice-captains are to attend an emergency meeting immediately."

_What's going on? _Rukia wondered if it had anything to do with the uneasiness she was feeling.

All of the 13 vice-captains lined up, all 26 eyes staring expectantly at the member of the research and development bureau, who stood shoulder's slumped in the center of the room.

"You have all been called here today to initiate emergency investigations both in soul society and the real world." He stuttered, took a deep breath as if gathering courage and then continued.

"There have been an extremely large number of souls apparently disappearing from the real world. It is thought that these souls have been somehow transported to soul society, thus upsetting the soul balance.

Abarai Renji's face crumpled into a frown.

"But wouldn't the souls be born again and naturally balance out?" He protested. This was obviously going to get far too complex for him.

"Yes, ordinarily. However, it seems that these souls haven't died and naturally come to soul society; they have been extracted from living humans and brought through the precipice world. This means that someone is making a weapon. A weapon powerful enough to pull soul society and the living world together and destroy them both.

Stunned silence fell upon the room. The geeky shinigami continued.

"As of yet the research and development bureau cannot pinpoint the location of the stolen souls. It is your mission to find the souls and stop the extraction in the living world."


	2. Chapter 2

Hitsugaya's Secret.

"Matsumoto you and I are going to the real world to start the search for the soul thief. Kuchiki Rukia and Abarai Renji will be also going to the living world to keep an eye on Kurosaki Ichigo. It is thought that the soul thief is searching for those with high spiritual powers. Unfortunately that idiot leaks his reishi everywhere." Toshiro Hitsugaya paced the room thinking up the best plan of action.

"Don't you think Ichigo can handle himself though? It's probably better if more of us search for the thief than babysit the substitute shinigami?" Rangiku moaned.

"It's more like they're keeping this from him. You know how he looks for trouble, its better if he's not involved."

The captain frowned, now that he knew the source of his uneasiness he was eager to get to the bottom of it. Karakura town was their first port of call.

"ICHIGOOOOOOO!"

Kiego yelled, as enthusiastically as ever, only to be answered by the usual elbow to the face. Ichigo knew something was off. Ishida was twitchy and preoccupied, like he was struggling to figure something out. Ichigo's train of thought was suddenly derailed by Inoue's girly cry of:

"Kuchiki-san! Renji-san!"

The two shinigami entered the classroom wearing the standard Karakura high-school uniform.

"What are you two doing here?" Ichigo grumbled. This always meant trouble, although he was happy to see his two shinigami friends.

"That's no way to talk to your friends!" Renji Smirked. " Anyway we've got a mission. There has been a rise in the amount of hollows here lately."

"So they sent two vice-captains? I'm not an idiot Renji."

"Could have fooled me." Renji retorted. The two guys started exchanging insults nearly nose to nose. Rukia rolled her eyes and slapped them both at the back of their heads sending their faces crashing into each other in an unceremonious kiss.

"errghh!" Both the guys yelled spluttering and wiping their mouths. The rest of the crowd giggled, even Chad let out a low chuckle.

However, the sunny warm atmosphere in the classroom suddenly froze as a huge reitsu appeared. It was so strong it made the hairs on their arms stand on end. The murderous intent was so strong it made Inoue feel like she wanted to be sick and even Ichigo, Renji and Rukia balked.

"What the hell is that?!" Ichigo murmured as he tapped his shinigami representative badge to his chest and jumped out of his own body. All three shinigami rushed towards the huge reitsu coming from an underground parking lot.

When the three burst into the lot they were met by a sight they couldn't believe. All the walls were splattered with blood, the stench of fear still apparent in the dingy cold space. Remnants of bodies could be seen strewn about and in the very centre was Toushiro Hitsugaya supporting a nearly unconscious female shinigami. Her Zanpakutou was laid at their feet lathered in blood.

Toushiro laid the girl on the floor. He was panicking. Why was he panicking? He had to make sure she was okay. He saw her after she slaughtered all these innocent humans, he even saw her harvest their souls into a glass bottle which she then corked, the bottle was now lying on the floor a few meters away glowing an eerie blue colour. After she had corked the bottle she dropped it, grabbing her head screaming the most blood-curdling painful scream he had ever heard. Her eyes started rolling in her head.

"NOOO! NOOOO! NOT AGAIN! I DON'T WANT TO!" Was all she could scream, her eyes made contact with Toushiro's and it felt like daggers had been plunged into his chest. He froze. He just wanted to take away all of this girls pain. He didn't know how but he was sure someone else had made her do this and he just wanted to help her. He looked up and saw Ichigo, Rukia and Renji's disbelieving expressions. This must look bad. He jolted back to reality. Ichigo's friend had healing powers.

"Ichigo get the girl! God what's her name? Inoue? Get Inoue!" He yelled a little more forcefully than necessary. Renji and Rukia helped the captain lower the girl to the floor. They weren't sure why the captain was helping this girl but they knew better than to question his judgment._ Hitsugaya Taichō wouldn't have anything to do with this would he_? Rukia thought but shook the thought out of her head as soon as it entered. _Of course he wouldn't._

Toushiro just stared at the beautiful blood-splattered creature laid on the parking lot floor. Her hair long shiny hair perfectly matched the colour of the crimson liquid that stained her pale skin. Her pained green eyes were staring right into his very soul. Her breathing was ragged, choking noises came from her throat. She was trying to speak. Toushiro carefully lifted her body into a sitting position so as to make it easier for her to speak.

"He … he made … me." She gulped gasping for air in between sobs of pain. The blood-soaked shinigami lost consciousness.

Inoue arrived and immediated put her shield around the girl and set to work. Ichigo had his face set into his usual frown. He had never seen Toushiro look so pained. Did he know this girl? What was going on?


	3. Chapter 3

**The blood-soaked Shinigami.**

The red-headed girl lay in Kurosaki Ichigo's bed. All the others cramped around the bed in the small room waiting for the girl to wake. Toushiro Hitsugaya paced what little floor he could find. Rangiku had arrived and was eying her captain with worry. He wished all the others would go away. They all wanted an explanation as to why he was caught holding a blood-splattered girl who had clearly massacred a room full of innocents. The truth was he didn't know himself.

The girls eyelashes fluttered, her delicate pale eyelids opened to reveal a pair of startled green eyes.

"Wh-where am I?" she gasped drawing her knees up to her chest trying to get as much distance from the strangers staring at her from the side of her bed.

Toushiro rolled the glowing bottle of souls across his fingers. What should he say first? He didn't know. Thankfully he didn't have to say anything the girls gaze rested on the bottle. Her eyes widened frantic with fear. Her breathing accelerated to a frantic pace.

"I did it again didn't I? Oh no, Oh no. It wasn't me, I can't remember. He made me do it!" Tears started rolling down her face and she struggled trying to get her breath. Before Toushiro could get to her side Ichigo was leaning over the bed gently touching her shoulders urging her to breathe and tell them who made her do it. Toushiro shook off the feeling of wanting to rip Ichigo's hands off her.

"A man, a big guy he put something in my head! It hurt. I can't remember." She sobbed.

"He put something in your head?" Ichigo repeated in disbelief. Everyone exchanged glances. No-one believed her. Toushiro did.

Ishida Uryuu stood up his calculating gaze studying the sobbing girl. He then sighed.

"This sounds like a job for Urahara Kisuke."

"Damn sandal-hat." Ichigo muttered.

"You called?" They all looked up to see Urahara perched on Ichigo's windowsill.

"You have a habit of turning up at times like this." Ichigo smirked

"Like a bad penny."

Urahara had the girl in a futon recovering from his probing; Urahara was taking delight in the turn of events like he normally did.

"Aha! Look at this!" He grinned holding up a chip in a pair of tweezers. Nobody could believe what they saw. Urahara had just pulled a chip out of the girls head. He whisked out of the room with the chip to do some tests on it.

"So she wasn't lying then." Kurosaki stated. He had a habit of stating the obvious. Everybody then left the room discussing the events of the day. Rangiku turned before she left the room to see her captain sat watching the sleeping girl with no intention of following the rest. It wasn't like her captain to get so involved like this. She hoped he wouldn't get hurt. She sighed and left the room.

Hitsugaya sat watching the girl sleep. He convinced himself that if he stayed with her he could be sure that she wouldn't make an escape. Although he secretly knew that wasn't the true reason he never took his eyes off the girl. He watched her ample chest rise and fall with her gentle breathing. He eyed her pink lips that were slightly parted showing perfect white teeth. He fought the urge to run his hands through her red hair and just hold her tight, amongst other things. His own thoughts surprised him. He was just like any other guy after all. He shook all the thoughts out of his head.

_What am I thinking? I found this girl after she massacred a room full of people and harvested their souls! How could I find her attractive?! But it wasn't her fault that she did that. She was being controlled. _

He continued this internal debate for quite some time. He was so lost in thought that he never noticed the girls eyes open. She sat up eyeing the young blonde boy's captain haori. Realisation hit her.

"You're the young captain, Hitsugaya Taichō aren't you?" she murmured almost a whisper, trying to back away as far as she could. Hitsugaya nodded trying not to scare her anymore.

"Are you going to arrest me and take me back to Seretei?" Her voice was barely audible. She spoke behind her hands with the blanket pulled across her knees. Hitsugaya fought the urge to go over and pull her into his arms. Her eyes screamed all the pain and the guilt she was feeling. Toushiro vowed that when he finds out who did this, he's going to make them pay.

"No, not until we find out who did this to you and why. What's your name?" He kept his voice quiet.

She suddenly sat up straight and a look of pride flashed across her features.

"I'm the 11th squads 10th seat Kai Midori."

He couldn't stop his eyebrows flicking up in surprise. She was one of Zaraki Kenpachi's seated officers, in the strongest fighting squad of gotei 13. That would explain her terrifying reitsu. She was strong, for her to get a seated position in such a male orientated squad was truly impressive.

The pride suddenly melted from her face.

"Not that I have a squad to go back to. I'm a murderer now."

"No. The man that planted the chip in your head is the murderer. You get some rest." Toushiro stood and walked out of the room. Glancing back as he stepped through the door, the sad green eyes pierced into his. He tore away his gaze and walked to clear his head.

As he flitted across the rooftops towards Karakura river he passed by Ichigo's house. He stopped in his tracks right across from Ichigo's window. He couldn't believe what he saw. He saw two figures sat across from each other on Ichigo's bed. One was unmistakably Ichigo and the other was Renji. This wouldn't have been odd if the two hadn't been sat so close. He saw them talking and convinced himself he was seeing too far into things. He went to move away but then he froze as he saw Renji lean in towards Ichigo. The red haired shinigami pressed his lips firmly against Ichigo's but the teenager yelped and pulled back but Renji wasn't taking no for an answer. He hooked his hands around the back of the boys head and pulled him into a firm but gentle kiss. This time Ichigo just stayed still, he didn't pull back. After a few seconds he even started kissing Renji, eventually winding his hands through his red locks, his tongue exploring every inch of Renji's mouth. Toushiro's mouth dropped open. The two muscled shinigamis were exploring each other with their hands. Renji's shirt was already torn off and thrown to the floor and Renji's hands were all over Ichigo's chest. Ichigo lowered his lips to his lover's neck, Renji tilted his head up so Ichigo had better access. Renji's lips parted as he revelled in the sensations Ichigo's mouth provided. Ichigo put gentle fluttering kisses across Renji's collar bone and down to his chest. Ichigo rolled his tongue over Renji's nipple. Renji let out the most guttural, primal moan Toushiro had ever heard.

Toushiro felt his face flush and suddenly feel really hot. He had to go. He tore his eyes away from the couple and continued towards the river, his mind reeling.


End file.
